Mechanism



.May 10, 1927.

R. W. SCOTT SECTIONAL SPLICING MEC-IANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 5, 1915 May 10, 1927. 1,628,517

R. W. SCOTT SECTIONAL SPLICING MECEANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed May s, 1915 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Rosana vv. score, on so'siron, nassacnnsnrrs, .assrunon, BY :unsns Assrenrasnrs, no scour a wrnnrens/rnconronarnn; a coarona'rron on nrnssncnuss'rrs.

snorron'nn-srnrcrne MECHANISM non surname nncnnrns.

'. I application filed may a,

My invention relates to knittingv machines," oneobject being to. provide im: proved and simplified devices adapted to knit fabrics, such for instance as seamless stockings having seetionallyspliced. areas.

' When attempting to knit fabrics of fine gauge upon ordinary latch needles of the prior art, it is observed that the fabric and especially that part of it knit with a short 1 length of stitch, is not capable of being made narrow to the desired degree byv stretching lengthwise. v

I have successfully avoided the said defeet by changes in existingm achines .permitting use of needles having long hooks,

- 1 for instance needles of the type forming the subject of my Letters Patent No. 1,097,732, dated May 26, 1914.

My present invention relates to yarn-teeth ing devices capable of cooperation with such needles, and also capableot use with ordinary short hook needles, my said invention including in either use devices for knitting thereon sectionally spliced area's sharply defined at their edges. "I have herein illustrated my invention, which is an improveinent over the device shown, described and claimed in the application of H. L. Trudel and H. 18. Dawson Serial No. 852,609, filed 30 July 23, 1914,. as applied to a latch-needle knitting machine of the type described and claimed in my application Serial No. 746,- 070 tiled February 3, 1913, [Letters Patent No..1,152,850, dated September 7, 1915], but it will be understood that my invention is independent of the particular machine in which it may be utilized.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section on the irregular plane 1-l of Fig. 2; N

Fig. 2 is a plan partly in section on line 2 2, ofFig. 1;

-Fig33 is a diagram development of the cani' ring and yarn feeding devices showing needles and paths taken by the needles during rotary knitting;

Fig.4 is development showing a modified form of sectional splicing cam, and

' Fig. 5 is a diagram showing'one arrangement of needles having difi'erent f-iiil. of

butts. v

The machine is provided with the. usual needle cams and with needles, which as illustrated at 1 in Figs. 1 and 3 Y be needles having comparatively long hoe 3,

1915. Serial lilo. 25,492.

and latches 5, which are comparatively short and situated at a relatively large distance from the tip of the needle. But it is not essential, when long-hooked needles are;

employed, that the hooks3 shall be spring hooks, as in my said patent, so long as the widest portions of the needles are at a substantial distance from their tips. For the usual purpose of separating the needles for knitting on a part only of the series, some of the, needles 1 have long butts 2 and some have short butts at.

In order to supply yarn to such needles certainly and without the-aid of yarn sink ing means, when employing usual stitch,- cams, as\at 6,7, 8, 9, Fig. 3, l have found it efl'ective to insure that the yarn is fed with an increased lead, as compared with ordinary short hook latch needles, thus causing the yarn to lie under the points of hooks 3 and against the place for proper feeding of a considerable number of needles follow ing a needle moving to land its hook over the yarn. lead when the machine is reciprocating, I have heretofore as explained in my application, Serial N o. 39,887, filed July 14, 1915, provided "for feeding the yarn for heels and toes from a yarn-guide or finger F at a place central of the stitch-cams, all other yarns being fed from a position in advance of said heel and toe finger, the stitch-cams,

needle pickers and other adjuncts of the cam guard" surface 550 protects the latches of needles advanced by the leading stitch cam 7.

Said other yarns are presented to and removed from the needles by movable guides or yarn-fingers F F F F actuated by thrust-bars 460 pattern-controlled by cams on, drum 120. g V

In the machine described and claimed in said application of Trudel and Dawson, Serial No. 852,609, sharp entrance and exit of splicing yarn is obtained by causing a constant separation of the long and short butt needles at the re ion of the center cams, enabling the short butt needles to stand above the others to take with certainty the splicing yarn presented and removed by an actuated yarn-finger. By reason of the rapid movement of the needles the splicingyarn-finger can not with certainty he relation oi the nrodl ilidropped low enough by timing; its inoVowent to enter its yarn under the hooks oi the relatively longhoolred needles 1, and. suliieient separation ot such needles through the longer distance between their tips and the opening under their hoolxs by a fixed renter earn is not practicable. l have de- -vised the following means for securing certain enhance and exit oil the splicing yarn with or without the cooperation of the usual vibratingsplicing; yarn linger.

One of the yarn lingers. preferably a yarnlinger l? next to the heel and too finger F is provided with a foot elovatii'ig its yarnbore above plate 559 to such an extent as to deliver its yarn into the hooks oil needles traveling in a normal path hetweeircams 8 and E) and beneath stitch earn 6. hleans adjustable to.cause all of the needles, or selectively to cause the needles out the seg ment to he spliced only to talie such a normal path are provided. said means eausing all the needles except those for the. spliced fabric to talre a path with respect to which yarn linger l is in an inoperative position and with respect to "which the lingers F, l. l are operative.

For greater certainty in securing a dilierenre in the lead or onglo of entrance of the splicing yarn :led by linger l and the body yarn, said body yarn may be led from that linger furthest removed from splicing linger ll.

A preferred form of needle selecting means may be constructed as 'lollmvs:-

lleneath the leading end ojli stitch Cain ti ina radial bore in corn ring segment- 3% a short spindle lil integral with a. swivel rain 1:3 is jonrnalled. Said (Z1111 Iii-l is thick enough to ongragre the needles having long: bulls 1% only. and when in its upper or active position is housed in a reress 1-l :toi'nied be tween the lace o'lf renter rain 8 and standard to \vhirh said rain 8 is attached. in this position. aln 1:2 engages the long bulls and retracts thorn on a path nearly parallel with the face of stitch Cain (S and ahead thereof. the tips oi the long butt needles moving; as shown at (r. Fig. 3.

'lhis place of retraction of the long butts is snll'iciently separated from yarn linger i to cause the yarn therefrom safely to enter the hoolrs of the lone; butt needles. but is so close to the icing; yarn fled by lini 'er l5 as to (rinse nl splicing yarn to lie against the lace oi hoolis ll oil the longhull needles. which miss laliingr the porn,

i eziusii the splicing yarn to lloat within the needles when cast oil.

llpon the approach oi the leading short bull; needle. which will tulle a normal path, the splicin yarn is again operiitivel v talren by all the short butt needles.

thun 1:1 is spring held in the position shown in Fig. 3 by a coil spring 16 reacting with an arm 18 of a collar 17 held by setsorew 19 on spindle 13.

A spring arm .20, carried by the thrustliar e for yarn linger F. for instance by being adjustably held in a bore in a lug 2! on said bar by sot-screw 32, takes under arm 18 to lift said arm and rock spindle 13 and earn 12 againstspring 16 whenever the splicing n guide F is thrown to an upper idle position.

The point of 'am 12 when rocked down ward may be housed in a recess '15 behind bottom centereainl), the upper face of said cam 12 then lying beneath the normal needle-path. Movement into and out of the operative position of Fig. 3 of said (rain 12 normally occurs during" passage of the short buttneedles, but by reason of spring; arm 20 and spring 16 movement of the thrustbar and yarn guide F during passage 01 the long-butts will not cruise movement of cam 19 until the long butts engaging it have passed. v

@uitable cams may be providedon drum 1% to position pain 12 and yarn linger F operatively at the desired times, for instance when the ankle has been reached and alter the heel has been formed, and it will be understood without further description that the needles having short butts 1 will torin reinforced fabric whenever said guide and cam are so positioned. Standard 355 may be out avay at 23 to permit segment 370 and cams 6, i and 12 to be moved out of contact with the needles.

'lhe iiurposes olthe cam lil may be served by modified constructions, for instance as shown in Fig. l. in which a earn-slide 36 is shown mounted to slide in an angular way formed behind top-renter earn 8. said slide being outward oi the faces oi the cams for enough to clear the longer needle butts. and being provided with a. 1111.111 proper ill" for moving: the longrbutts only. and with a hole :28 to reeeire a spring; arni similar to arm :20 oarried by the thrust-liar for the ruilicinp yarn-linger for automatic positioning of slid ET in the same manner as earn 132.

lhe extent of vertical separation ol 'lhe needles caused by the means for seleetively positioning some of them to cooperate with a splicing yarn linger positioned to feed needles taliinp: a normal path will depend noon the length of thelioolis lit the needles. llurine reciprocal'ory liuittingr the splieineji'arn linger l. the yarn lingers l l l. and the rain ll? are held in their inoperajtive positions. the normal path throuiijh the rains being free for )assee'e ot the short butts l. and the lone" loults it desired, to brine; the needle-hooks into their normal relation with varn linger l in use at this time.

i i hen the needles are divided into two sets lllll rea er? as described the marginal line of the spliced area coincides with the first and last-low butt needle. It is sometimes desirable to have this margin extend into the high-butt or instep needles, thus lending strength to the corner of the heel gore. This I acco1nplish by substituting for high butt needles at both ends of the set a given number of medium-butt needles 11, which will not be acted upon by swivel cam 12 but-wvill/be acted upon as though they were longbutt needles by the usual switch cam for throw ing such needles heels and toes.-

The above described devices for feeding yarns are adapted without change to use with ordinary short-hook needles having butts 'of difi'erent lengths upon being elevated slightly with respect to the needles, as will. be understood without further illustration, so as to bring the tips of the needles out of action in making and said yarn-feeding means into substan- 12 is operative so far as to close their latches and at a place too much in advance of the splicing yarn to take it, or to encounter it until said needles have passed cam 12 and traversed a part of the path a and nearly rejoined the shorter buttneedles. Needles so moved by the cam 12 are thus prevented, their latches being closed, from afterward 1 taking said yarn either by moving into contact with it, or by the precedin shorter butt needles, which have taken it, ragging said yarn into contact with them It will now be apparent that the device of moving one segment or set of needles only downward to a low point in advance of the stitch cam for allot the needles, in the presence of" yarns guided to the needles at substantially different degrees of lead with respect to the stitch-cam, is eliective to cause the norn'ially-operated needles only to take the yarn fed from the guide nearest the stitch-cam, and to cause the needles of said segment to reject said yarn, whatever the construction of the needles.

It will be observed that the cam 12 or 27 or the like for so moving downward that segment of the needleswhich is not toreceive the splicing yarn is in a relatively low position in a vertical sense, so as to move the needlesaiilected by it through a distance corresponding to a substantial )art of the'knitting stroke or movement w ich would otherwise be given the same needles by the stitch cam 6.

For convenience of language I have herein referred to any of, the described inefi'cctire contacts between the needles and the splicing yarn, by means of 'which the splicing' yarn is not taken in the hooks and is positively excluded from the hooks of the needles, as an encounter of the needles with the splicing yarn in an inoperative relation thereto. i

lV hat I claim is:

1. A knitting machine having in combination needles, a stitch cam, means for deliv' ering a body yarn and a splicing yarn from different distances in advance of said stitch cam to said needles, whereby said needles normally take both of said yarns, and means in advance of said stitch cam for selectively moving certain of said. needles only to a position in which said needles and said splicing yarn will come into contact in an inoperative relation.

2. A knitting machine having in combination latch needles,a stitch'cani, guides for delivering a body yarnand a splicing yarn with difierent degrees of lead with respect to said stitch cam, whereby said needles normally take both-of said yarns, and means in advance of said stitch cam for selectively moving certain of said needles only to a'low point whereby they come into contact with said splicing yarn after their latches are closed, said means being active upon the needles after they have operatively taken said body yarn.

3. A knitting machine having in combination needles, a stitch cam, guides for delivering a. body yarn and a splicing yarn with different degrees of lead with respect to said stitch cam whereb needles worked by the stitch cam take hot 1 or said yarns, and a cam acting ahead of the stitch cam for retracting certain of said needles only, after they have operatively received the body yarn,

through a substantial part only of the same distance as the other needles are moved by the stitch cam to draw loops after receiving the yarn, whereby said certain needles contact with but are prevented from operatively receiving the splicing yarn in their hooks.

4. A knitting machine having in combination needles, a stitch cam, means for delivering a body yarn and a splicing yarn from dillerentpoints to said needles, whereby said needles normally take both of said yarns. and pattern controlled means for determining a ditlerent path for certain of said needles at predetermined times, whereby said certain needles take the body yarn and encounter the splicing yarn inoperativcly at said times.

5. A knitting machine having in combination needles having long hooks, means for movingsaid needles in a path operative for knitting, and means for deliyering a body yarn in the hooks of all of said needles and of cm ill needle arn against the faces at the hoolts a splici said needles only, whereby some at said needles operatively talie both oi said yarns, and arenas for determining a ditlcrent path tor said certain needles only, whereby said i cast ll. nation cam, a mom inc:

needle i and in ern controlled means tor determiningr a different path for certain or" said needles and moving said splicing yarn guide into operative position at predetermined limes whereby said certain needles take the body n and cast oil the splicing yarn at lines, I

i. knitting machine having; in combination needles having latches and relatively long); hoohs, a stitch cam, means for deliverii i bodv yarn and a splicing yarn from different points to said noodles, whereby said needles opcrativcl take both of said yarns, and meat tor detcrininin a diii'erent path for certain of said needles only. whereby said needles take the body yarn in. their hoolis and take the splicing yarn against the aces oil their hooks after their latches are closed in a position to be cast oil at each passage at said stitch earn.

8. 1i. knitting machine adapted for rotary and reciprocator knitting and having needles, and leading and following stitch cams, ineans tor feeding yarn for reciprocator knitting, means for feeding yarn for sectional splicing; during rotary knitting, and means for feeding a body yarn during rotary knitting from a point ahead of said splicing yarn feeding means, in combination with means for causing a series of said needles to be retracted to a relatively low point after taking said body-varn and in advance of said tollowiug stitch-cain, whereby to encounter said splicing yarn inoperatively.

9. it knitting machine adapted for rotary and rcciprocatory knitting: having leading and following stitch cams and needles having relatively long hooks and short latches and a series of movable yarn guides, one end of said series being); positioned substantially inidwa of said stitch cams, the remainder of said series being in advance thereof in the direction "for rotary knitting, in combination with means for opcratively positioning two of said series of yarn-guides to deliver yarn to the open hooks of needles actuated by said following stitch cam, and means for retracting a series oil said needles to cause the faces of their hooks to receive one at said yarns.

10. it knitting machine having in COmlJlnation needles in having long and shorter hiitts, a stitch cairn movable guides for delivering a. body yarn and a splicing yarn from dillerent points separated in the direction of relative travel to" said needles, whereby said needles epe-ratively take both of said varns "when said guides are operativelv positioned, a earn tor retracting said long butt needles only through a part of their knitting; stroke after they have received the body yarn, whereby to render the encounter of said needles With the splicing yarn inoperative, and means for adjusting said splicinc yarn ,cguide at predetermined times.

11. It ltnitting machine having in combination needles, yarn guides, a stitch cam, an adjustable cam tor causing some of the needles acted upon by said stitch cam to pass one only of the yarn guides illltll in an operative position, ithout opcrativcly receivingyarn, and means acting to more said last mentioned yarn guide into and out of operation, and to adjust said adjustable cam.

12. 1h knitting; machine having; in co1nbination needles, a series ct yarn'guidcs, a pattcrncontrolled connection for moving one of said yarn guides into and out of position to feed a splicing yarn to normally operated needles, a stitch cain, an adjustable cam for determining an abnormal path for some oi the needles acted upon by said stitch cam whereby to prevent;-tlieirlmitting the splicing yarn, and means for adjusting said adjustable cam siniultaiieously with movement of said splicing yarn guide. I

13. A knitting machine having in combination needles having long and shorter butts, a series of movable yarn-guides, a pattern controlled connection for moving on e of said yarn guides into and out of position to feed a spliciagyarn to all o'l said needles, a stitch earn, a cam adjustable into and out of position for retracting the longbutt needles only ahead of said stitch cam, whereby said needles are positioned to receive said splicing yarn in a position to be cast-ofl at said stitch cam, and means for adjusting said retracting cam upon 11lovemeat of said connection.

14. A knitting machine having; incoinbination needles, a yarn finger, a stitch cam, a spindle and a needlacain thereon for determining in one position an abnormal path tor some of the needles normally operated by said stitch earn, and means for simultaneously moving said yarn finger and rocking; said spindle.

15. A knitting machine having in combination needles, a movable yarn linger, a stitch-cam adapted to remain in operative position during knitting, a movable needle cam cooperating with said stitch cam for determining in one position an abnormal path for some of the needles operated. by said stitch cam, a pattern mechanism for eeann? automatically controlling the operation of the parts, and a single common connection between said pattern mechanism and said yarn guide and" said movable needle cam; for automatic adjnstmentot said needle cam and yarn-finger bysaid pattern mechanism.

16. A knitting machine having long and short butt needles and a ditch-cam group comprising a stitch cam and center cams for positioning said needles to take yarn, and a swinging switch cam "for retracting the longbutt needles ahead of said stitch cam, said center cams heing provided'with recesses to receive said swinging cam, and means for holding the point of said swinging cam in either recess.

17. A knitting machine havingv in combination a thrust-bar, a movable aim-finger actuated thereby, a movablenee e-cam, and

a connection from said thrust-bar for moving said cam.

18. A knitting machine bination a thrust-har,. actuated thereby, a movable need seam and having in coma movable sin-finger -switch cam movable in said passage, s ring means for swinging said cam in one irection, and yielding means automatically-actuated to swing said cam in opposition to said spring means, whereby said cam may not move in either direction until needles" in contact with it have passed out of said passage.

20. In acircular knitting machine, in combination, a cam carrier segment, stitch cams and a swinging switch cam thereon, a relatively fixed standard, and center-cams on said standard, said segment,- stitch and swinging cams being movable with respect to said center cams, and operating means or said swinging switchcam permitting said movement.

In, testimony whereof, I have signed my name tothi's specification. 1

ROBERT w. soo'rr 

